U.S Pat. Nos. 4,634,213 to Larsson et al, 4,687,280 to Toy et al and 4,553,809 to Holt, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by refernnce, relate to a connector for power distribution cables. The connector comprises a metal sleeve having an open end for receiving a conductor of the cable and a closed end. In a preferred embodiment the sleeve is provided with a slug of solder and pressuring means to urge the solder between the conductor and the metal sleeve to make a solder joint between them. The metal sleeve can be a terminating lug or two such sleeves can be joined together to form a connector for splicing conductors together. In preferred embodiments, the pressurizing means is a piston behind which is a gas generating substance. Upon heating, gas is generated and creates sufficient pressure behind the piston that on melting of the solder, the gas drives the piston forcing the molten solder between the conductor and metal sleeve. The piston is preferably an expanding piston as disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 4,687,280 to provide an effective seal to contain the gas as it is generated. The solder can be directed to the center strands of the conductor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,809.
Manufacture of the connector requires numerous steps with the individual placement of each of the elements and sealing of solder and pressuring means into the connector. This invention provides a simplified approach to manufacturing this connector.